Purpose and Potential
2025 Event Information
Speakers, Reviews, Program, Videos, and Photos
Celebrating 10 years of Shared Ideas!
2025 Speakers
Dr. Eden E. L. Tanner, is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Bio-chemistry at the University of Mississippi. She holds an Advanced Science degree from the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, and a doctorate in Physical and Theoretical Chemistry from the University of Oxford with Prof Richard G. Compton. As a postdoctoral research fellow at Harvard, she worked with Samir Mitragotri. Tanner’s talk will focus on breakthroughs in nanoparticle drug delivery.
Muftiat Oyindamola Adeyi, Doctoral Candidate in the English at the University of Mississippi, Graduate Instructor, and Writing Consultant. Muftiat’s work emphasizes the nuanced narratives of womanhood within African and African Diasporic texts, bringing visibility to Africana voices in global literature. Inspired by her research, her TEDx talk will challenge perceptions of accent and language as measures of intelligence.
Kylie Wright, CEO & Founder of Mosse Medical, LLC, University of Mississippi alum, and current graduate student at Baylor College of Medicine. She is a resident in orthotics and prosthetics at Shriner’s Children’s Hospital in Spokane, Washington. Kylie will share the story of her calling to make life easier one limb at a time.
Amy Schumacher-Rutherford is an Instructor of Speech Communication in the Department of Writing and Rhetoric at the University of Mississippi. She earned an M.A. in Communications Studies from Marshall University. Her research interests include political communication and using AI to achieve student learning outcomes. She has presented her work using AI at both academic conferences and private workshops.
Harrison Lee, PhD, is a visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion at the University of Mississippi. He completed his PhD in 2024 at Baylor University. Lee’s research focuses on normative and applied ethics with an emphasis on biomedical ethics. His talk will explore a new and controversial method of organ donation.
Shonna Tillman, PhD, is a dedicated academic and public policy expert with a strong background in rural government, community and economic development, and women’s representation in political positions. She holds a PhD in Public Policy and Administration from Mississippi State University; Shonna’s research focuses on the intersection of race, gender, and politics, particularly the motivations and challenges faced by Black women in political leadership roles.
“I really enjoyed this event, and I got something meaningful out of every
talk.”
“The topics discussed are issues that have practical
implications in our daily and contemporary times.”
“It’s wonderful and inspiring!”
“I would go again and bring a friend.”
“Nice variety of subjects and speakers. From science, to ethics, to
culture. All in depth with beautiful metaphors and explanations, stories
from their own experiences and others.”
“The event was very welcoming, and I got to learn about a variety of
topics in a way that was very easy to digest. I never felt “lost” during
any of the talks, rather I felt like I was learning about issues that I should
be aware of.”
“My family and I had an almost hour drive home
and spent much of the time talking about the topics presented, which
is my favorite part about Ted talks, bringing new ideas forward to be
talked about!”
“The program
was not too long. It is wonderful to see what faculty and past students
are working on.”
“This event was well set up and organized as well as very informative
and thought provoking.”
“It was well planned and very interesting topics. The speakers were
great!”
“I would have liked eight speakers [instead of six].”
“Excellent event and I love how many opportunities the students have in
assisting with its success.”
“All of the speeches provided information that I would not have known
or thought about before attending TED. I think that knowledge is
valuable.”
“This was my first ever TedXTalk experience. All of the speakers were
amazing, I really loved each topic. I was truly blown away.”
TEDx University of Mississippi
Potential and Purpose
February 17, 2025 | Ford Center for the Performing Arts
3 pm: Closed rehearsal
5 pm: Speaker & Sponsor Reception
February 18, 2025 | Ford Center for the Performing Arts
6:15 pm: Potential and Purpose Art Show opens to the public | Lobby
6:30 pm: The Mississippians Jazz Ensemble | Main Stage
7:00 pm: Main Event with speakers and additional entertainment | Main Stage
8:30 pm: Meet the Speakers | Lobby
8:45 pm: TEDx Reunion Reception | Studio Theatre
2025 Talks: Purpose and Potential
This is not your typical organ donation speech. In fact, you might not even know about the ethical controversy reducing the number of available organs for transplantation. Listen and learn as Dr. Harrison Lee challenges the medical community to rethink its current practices.
What happens to medicine once it enters your body? How does a drug get to where it needs to go, and what if that place has a formidable defense system? These are questions being answered in Dr. Eden Tanner’s lab. She and her team are creating breakthroughs in drug delivery that should more effectively treat deadly and aggressive diseases and may even hold the key to preventing them.
Imagine a world where everyone sounds the same, a monaural monotony of voices. Now consider if you’ve ever been impatient when encountering an unfamiliar accent. Do you embrace some accents as desirable while rejecting others? Muftiat Oyindamola Adeyi challenges us to embrace a soundscape rich with accents and enjoy them in the same way we enjoy fusion cuisine.
Do educators have a responsibility to address AI in their classrooms? Amy Schumacher-Rutherford says, “Yes!” Sharing her research and experiences of incorporating AI into her undergraduate classes, she makes the case for acknowledging AI—if not fully embracing it.
In a world with advanced prosthetics, why are people with leg amputations unable to take a shower while standing? Kylie Wright shares the story of how a friend in need and an undergraduate school project helped her solve an age-old problem. #biomedical
Black women remain vastly underrepresented in elected office, yet they have a long, rich history of facilitating meaningful change. Dr. Shonna Tillman shows why grassroots organizations matter when it comes to empowering underrepresented voices in political leadership roles.
